I had orginally posted this thread in the ADD room, but I'm also hoping you guys could help. The orginal posting is below. However, to give you an indication where I stand with anxiety, particularly before exams in school...I can't eat, sleep, my digestive track is "unbalanced", I can't sit still, I'm nauseated, broken out in rashes, and I've even been rushed to the ER for tachycardia induced panic attacks. And I'm only 22 yrs old! So I consider my anxiety severe. It has interefered with my physical well being.
So here's the orginal thread:
I have long since been on Adderall for ADHD and it has helped greatly. Unfortunately in the past months I have started developing anxiety, and its gotten so severe that it has made me physical ill at times. So I went to my psych, and we collectively agreed that adderall potentates anxiety, but that I still needed it. We tried various SSRI's and SSNRI's to help with the anxiety, but it actually made it worse and finally went to Xanax.
As a personal side note….For you senior members, you may recall my first posting that questioned if adderall caused heart problems. I started having massive tachycardia attacks and couldn’t even take my adderall. It was later discovered I had suffered from serotonin syndrome from the concurrent use of Adderall with the SSNRI & SSRI's. We swapped from Welbutrin, Zoloft, Cymbalta and Lexapro. My personal advice is DO NOT TAKE ADDERALL WITH SSRI's or SSNRI’s. That's where my heart problems came in and I've actually found others that have had the same complications. The anti-depressants intensified the stimulatory affect of amphetamine to dangerous levels, such that I was even hospitalized. Sorry, just had to through in that tid bit of info because it was the most horrible experience in my life.
Now my question at hand. My doc has since prescribed Xanax 0.5 to take as needed along with Adderall 10 mg bid. The experience has been totally awesome. I still take the adderall as prescribed, but at times I take the xanax to calm me down. Yes, I don’t get the old “rush” with adderall now, but I now feel on top of the world. I finally feel like a normal person. I have mental clarity coupled with an eerie calmness that I have never before had. Scholastically, the results have been outstanding.
However, my concern is the concurrent mixing of uppers and downers. It just doesn't seem healthy or natural. Perhaps I'm just being a hypochondriac, but I can't help but feel uneasy that with taking xanax and adderall that my brain is receiving mixed signals. I’m scared of the long-term affects. I don’t take the xanax that often. Maybe 3-4 times a week.
So here’s my question…has anyone been prescribed a benzo concurrently with a stimulant? Have there been any negative side affects aside from the chemical dependency of the benzo?
If I were you, I would have a conversation with your doctor as to whether you still need to be on adderall. If your anxiety is this bad, I don't think you should be taking any stimulants. That's my opinion, based on how I've felt taking stimulants while having anxiety (like sudafed for a cold, or diet pills, coffee, etc.). I take just Xanax, as needed for my anxiety and it works great for me, but I've never suffered from ADHD. I'm so sorry you are going through this. Good luck.
I had orginally posted this thread in the ADD room, but I'm also hoping you guys could help. The orginal posting is below. However, to give you an indication where I stand with anxiety, particularly before exams in school...I can't eat, sleep, my digestive track is "unbalanced", I can't sit still, I'm nauseated, broken out in rashes, and I've even been rushed to the ER for tachycardia induced panic attacks. And I'm only 22 yrs old! So I consider my anxiety severe. It has interefered with my physical well being.
So here's the orginal thread:
I have long since been on Adderall for ADHD and it has helped greatly. Unfortunately in the past months I have started developing anxiety, and its gotten so severe that it has made me physical ill at times. So I went to my psych, and we collectively agreed that adderall potentates anxiety, but that I still needed it. We tried various SSRI's and SSNRI's to help with the anxiety, but it actually made it worse and finally went to Xanax.
As a personal side note….For you senior members, you may recall my first posting that questioned if adderall caused heart problems. I started having massive tachycardia attacks and couldn’t even take my adderall. It was later discovered I had suffered from serotonin syndrome from the concurrent use of Adderall with the SSNRI & SSRI's. We swapped from Welbutrin, Zoloft, Cymbalta and Lexapro. My personal advice is DO NOT TAKE ADDERALL WITH SSRI's or SSNRI’s. That's where my heart problems came in and I've actually found others that have had the same complications. The anti-depressants intensified the stimulatory affect of amphetamine to dangerous levels, such that I was even hospitalized. Sorry, just had to through in that tid bit of info because it was the most horrible experience in my life.
Now my question at hand. My doc has since prescribed Xanax 0.5 to take as needed along with Adderall 10 mg bid. The experience has been totally awesome. I still take the adderall as prescribed, but at times I take the xanax to calm me down. Yes, I don’t get the old “rush” with adderall now, but I now feel on top of the world. I finally feel like a normal person. I have mental clarity coupled with an eerie calmness that I have never before had. Scholastically, the results have been outstanding.
However, my concern is the concurrent mixing of uppers and downers. It just doesn't seem healthy or natural. Perhaps I'm just being a hypochondriac, but I can't help but feel uneasy that with taking xanax and adderall that my brain is receiving mixed signals. I’m scared of the long-term affects. I don’t take the xanax that often. Maybe 3-4 times a week.
So here’s my question…has anyone been prescribed a benzo concurrently with a stimulant? Have there been any negative side affects aside from the chemical dependency of the benzo?
A definate side effect of amphetamine. Even if you didn't have anxiety before, side effects can sometimes be culmative (occuring after years after being on a drug). Xanax will only be a short term solution. Besides dependancy on a benzo, there is the problem of possible tolerance, and in benzo's case a possibility of tolerance withdrawals(withdrawal symptoms while still on the benzo). So in the long run, anxiety condition might actually worsen.
So if the adderall has caused this anxiety condition, Xanax will only be a bandaid that can wear out someday. I think you've reached the point of deciding whether or not the side effect(anxiety condition) is worth the benefit of the Adderall. The fact that your brain is very dependant on Adderall may also be a problem if you decide to wean off it, but at the same time the anxiety condition will no doubt leave or get better as you get off Adderall. Tough decision between ADD without anxiety, or Anxiety without ADD, but you've got to figure it out, good luck.
